If you’re so busy that you don’t have time to simply be with God, you’re busier than He wants you to be.

Have you ever seen a toddler trying to “help” their dad fix something? The dad is focused, with his tools, and the child is running around, handing him the wrong hammer, stepping on the screws. The kid is very, very “busy.” But what do you think the dad would prefer? That cute but chaotic “help,” or for the child to just sit on his lap, hug him, and tell him about their day?

Sometimes, we treat God like that dad. We believe He needs us running all over the place, busy with “His work.” We fill our calendars with meetings, committees, and projects. We feel important. Productive. But our schedules are so packed that the only time we talk to the Boss is to ask for more strength to keep running.

And meanwhile, the Heavenly Father looks at us with a tender smile and thinks, “My child… I miss you. Can we just talk for a while?”

The devil is very clever. He knows that if he can keep us busy—even with good things—he can keep us away from the one thing that truly gives us power: God’s presence. It’s the “death by a thousand activities” strategy. And it works. How have you been feeling lately? A little irritable? Do you feel like the joy of serving has escaped out the window? Do your prayers feel like you’re leaving a message on a voicemail? Those are the warning lights on the dashboard of your soul.

Jesus, the busiest man who ever walked the earth, had a secret. He constantly slipped away. The crowds were looking for Him, the sick needed Him, the disciples required His attention… but He went to a solitary place to talk with His Dad. He didn’t do it to recharge His “ministry batteries.” He did it because He loved His Father. His service wasn’t the source of His energy; it was the result of His relationship.

God will never ask you to burn out. He said, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” If your Christian life feels like you’re dragging a piano up a hill, there’s a good chance it’s not God’s piano. It’s ours, the one we’ve built with all our “shoulds” and “musts.”

Maybe it’s time to pause. To take that packed calendar, sit with God, and ask Him, “Dad, which of these things do You really want me to do? And which ones am I doing just to feel important?” You’ll be surprised at how good He is with scissors. He might cut some things you’re afraid to let go of, but in doing so, He’ll give you something invaluable back: time. Time to simply be with Him. And in that time, you’ll find more strength, joy, and purpose than in a lifetime of meaningless hustle.

Mark 1:35 (NIV) “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”